"He's one of the best writers that ever covered me while I was coaching. He was honest." Sonny Smith, from the Foreword For more than four decades, John Pruett had one of the best seats in sports. He covered legends and rivalries. He witnessed triumphs and heartbreak. He traveled from packed SEC stadiums to the Masters and the Kentucky Derby. He was there for the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. Through it all he wrote with the wit and humanity that made him one of Alabama's most respected sportswriters. The John Pruett Collection: A Final Offering, Humbly Served gathers the stories Pruett wanted remembered. Inside are Bear Bryant and Shug Jordan. There is Alabama and Auburn. There are famous coaches and hometown heroes. There are unforgettable games and moments that reached far beyond sports. These pieces capture the people behind the headlines and preserve an era when great sportswriting was as much about character as competition.